August 2019

Message from Chancellor Jose V. Sartarelli

Dear Seahawk Community,

August brought many moments of celebration to UNCW as we welcomed the Class of 2023, recognized new faculty and campus leaders, and gathered for convocation, the official start of our academic year. Our newest students are following in the footsteps of more than 80,000 great Seahawks like Richard E. Myers '89, '94M, recently nominated to serve as a U.S. District Court Judge, and Maegan McUmber ’19, who begins work in Zambia this month as a secondary education English teacher with the Peace Corps.

Congratulations to lecturer Anna Lena Phillips Bell (Creative Writing), who was named the 2019-21 Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet for eastern North Carolina, and assistant professor Michael Tift (Biology and Marine Biology), who is heading up a multi-institutional study funded by a $950,000 National Science Foundation grant.

Some of you have received or may receive a request from University Advancement to participate in an image study, an important university initiative. If asked, I hope you will candidly share your thoughts. We always appreciate feedback from the UNCW community. Mark your calendars now for several upcoming campus events, including Department of Theatre productions, the Leadership Lecture Series and fall sports.

Go Seahawks!

Jose V. Sartarelli
Chancellor

Chancellor Sartarelli signed a truss to mark the topping out of the first building in the new student housing village, which eventually will have four residence halls and 1,800 beds. Two buildings are expected to open in fall 2020, with two more opening in fall 2021.

WATCH: The 2019-20 academic year got off to a spirited start. This video has all the highlights from Welcome Week.

Two thousand campus and community volunteers registered to help 2,200 new Seahawks get settled during Move-In. Chancellor Sartarelli and other senior administrators, as well as several UNCW trustees, were also on hand. Pictured, left to right: Mark Morgan, associate vice chancellor for business affairs in charge of facilities; Pat Leonard, vice chancellor for student affairs; Chancellor Sartarelli; Peter Groenendyk, Housing and Residence Life director; and Jeanine Mingé, associate vice chancellor for community engagement.

Chancellor Sartarelli and Michael Wilhelm (right), associate vice chancellor for international programs, represented UNCW at a U.S. State Department EducationUSA recruitment event in Brasilia, Brazil.

It was "All Hands on Deck" for UNCW coaches as they talked with Seahawk Club members and other supporters aboard the Battleship North Carolina. Pictured above is women's golf Coach Cindy Ho (left), who was named CAA Women's Golf Coach of the Year for the 2018-19 season.